According to a joint statement issued on May 15 in Beijing during Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s visit to China, the two countries have agreed to expand border trade at Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass, a far western point of Nepal, which Nepal government claims to be a part of its territory.

The 28th point of the joint communiqué states that “the two sides recognised that enhancing border areas cooperation through border trade, pilgrimage by people of the two countries and other exchanges can effectively promote mutual trust, and agreed to further broaden this cooperation so as to transform the border into a bridge of cooperation and exchanges. The two sides agreed to hold negotiation on augmenting the list of traded commodities, and expand border trade at Nathu La, Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass and Shipki La.”

Concerned over the matter, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has already instructed its New Delhi and Beijing missions to carry out its quiet diplomatic efforts to understand the nitty gritty of the statement and the real motive behind it.

Officials said the issue will also be raised with Indian side during the visit of Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to New Delhi in the second week of June.

The bilateral India-China pact also contradicts a recent remark of Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao in which he told Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey that “India and China are ready to work with Nepal for its recovery, reconstruction and development endeavours respecting Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Meanwhile, Minister Pandey said the government is studying the matter through its own channel and that India and China, who have always firmly stood for Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, would not undermine Nepal’s sovereignty.

Lipu-Lekh, also known as tri-corner, is the last point of Nepal’s border with China and India and used to be an ancient route for traders and pilgrims transiting between Nepal and Tibet. China has regarded the area as the tri-junction boundary point between Nepal, India and China and a Nepal-China boundary agreement signed three and a half decades ago has recognised that Kalapani, an area beyond the origin of the Mahakali river, lies inside Nepali territory.

“Lipu-Lekh is our territory,” said UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman and former foreign minister Narayan Kaji Shretsha, who met with Chinese Ambassador Wu Chuntai on Wednesday and drew his attention towards the matter.

Urging the Chinese side to correct the statement, Shrestha said, “India and China know that it is a disputed land and some of the vicinity of Lipu-Lekh has been encroached upon by India and the Indian government itself has admitted that the area is a disputed chunk of land. At this point of time, India and China should come together and make an understanding in consultation with Nepal.”

CPN-UML leader Rajan Bhattarai said Nepal has been opposing deployment of Indian army in Kalapani areas, which also includes the Lipu-Lekh. “Given the historical facts and evidence we have had, we should take up the matter with both India and China through diplomatic channels,” he said.